Oscar-nominated actress Penelope Milford has died at the age of 77. According to The Hollywood Reporter, she passed away on October 14 while living in a rehabilitation facility in Kingston, New York. Her sister, Candace Saint, and brother, Douglas Milford, said she had been recovering there following a car accident in July.
Born in St. Louis, Milford graduated from New Trier High School in Illinois before moving to New York to study acting at the American Place Theatre. She made her film debut in 1970 as an extra in Maidstone before building a strong career on stage, appearing in off-Broadway and Broadway productions including Lenny and Shenandoah.
Milford went on to appear in several notable films, including Valentino, Coming Home, Endless Love, and the cult classic Heathers. Her performance in Coming Home earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Outside of acting, Milford ran an art gallery in Los Angeles during the mid-1980s and taught acting. She later moved to Saugerties, New York, where she restored a historic home. Milford was briefly married to poet Michael Lally and is survived by her brother, sister, and three nieces and nephews.